12 Beijing Garden Tours to Plan a Day Around

1.Beijing Historical Tour II including Summer Palace, Lama Temple & Panda Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 187 reviews · from $93Our pick

Spend about seven hours visiting Lama Temple, the Summer Palace and Beijing’s Panda Garden with an English-speaking guide. The tour includes transport, lunch, entrance fees and hotel pickup within the Fourth Ring Road. Expect a silk demonstration, and possibly extra shopping or tea stops.

“We didn't spend more than 10 minutes at the Zoo and wasn't able to visit gift shop. We spent too long at Summer Palace but no boat ride just many stories which I didn't understand as the guide spoke so fast. Then we visited a place fRead more”

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2.Beijing：Jingshan Park (Palace Museum Garden) Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 185 reviews · 4 hours · from $6

Spend up to four hours exploring Jingshan Park, climb Prospect Hill for a full view of the Forbidden City, and use the English PDF guide to find imperial pavilions and garden corners. Choose a self-guided visit, or add help separately, since live guides and audio guides are not included.

“As they comment on the description, send your information details via email or within the application and they'll send you the QR code yo show at the entrance of the site. Usually they communicate with you via WhatsApp sometimes a day before your reservation. If you go at the afternoon, you'll find a lot of people. Better to go as early as possible.”

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3.Online Cooking Class Beijing Dumplings and Cuisine by Sunflowerli Renowned Chef

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · from $20Top rated

Join Chef Sunflower Li, also known as Miss Li, for a private 60 to 90 minute Zoom cooking class from Beijing. Choose dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, dim sum, fried rice, mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, or a vegan dish. You shop for the ingredients, then cook from scratch together.

“Sunflower was able to communicate her charm through Zoom. She was very organized and had prepared us before the class with all the ingredients. Sunflower was able to walk a party of 6 on how to make the most authentic delicious steam buns. She will ask you about dietary restrictions and cater the menu to your preference. Great experience over all”

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4.JingShan park (palace museum garden) entry ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 18 reviews · 1 day · from $6

Enter Beijing’s Jingshan Park, the former imperial garden beside the Forbidden City. Walk to the 45.7-meter summit, visit Wanchun Pavilion, and look across the palace roofs and old city. The $6 ticket covers admission, architecture, scenery, and cultural exhibits, with no guide or meal included.

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5.YuanMingYuan Park (Garden of Gardens) e-Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 10 reviews · 1 day · from $9

Visit Yuanmingyuan, Beijing’s vast Old Summer Palace, with an admission e-ticket and English visual guide. You’ll see Qing Dynasty gardens, lakes, ruined marble halls, and Western-style architecture. Panda Happy Journey in China sends the ticket and guide, but no live or audio guide is included.

“Panda is very responsible, gave us the details of e-tickets and PDF guide book, and made sure tickets and book worked. Also Panda tried to give us advice and help when we needed. Everything went smoothly and we enjoyed our time in Yuanmingyuan. Thanks Panda! We will definitely use this company when we come back Beijing again.”

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6.Private Beijing Day Trip: Peking Man Site, Stone Flower Cave, Marco Polo Bridge

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $193

Travel by private car from Beijing to Zhoukoudian’s Peking Man Site, Stone Flower Cave, and Marco Polo Bridge. Your English-speaking guide, driver, lunch, entrance tickets, parking, tolls, and hotel pickup are included. Guide Sally has received special praise for her friendly help.

“We really enjoyed our day trip out to the Stone Flower Cave and Peking Man site. Both UNESCO sites that were almost empty when we visited. Sally, our tour guide, was very personable and did a good job helping us around the sites. I'd sugRead more”

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7.6-Hour Private Beijing Tour: Flower and Fish Market, Panjiayuan Antique Market and 798 Art Zone

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $158

Spend six private hours seeing a less polished side of Beijing: colorful fish and flowers at Shilihe, antiques at Panjiayuan, and modern galleries in 798 Art Zone. Guides such as Ranee, Alice, Lucy, and Miko tailor shopping advice, explain local context, and include lunch or dinner.

“The antique market and Fish & Flower market was nice but the Art Zone was really cool! Wish we had more time to walk around. Alice was a good guide and took us to a great place for lunch. She even made an extra stop at the Silk Market which we enjoyed learning the history and how silk is made.”

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8.Online Cooking Class Hand Pulled Noodles by Sunflower Li

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 2 hours

Chef Sunflower Li teaches you to make Xi’an’s wide Biáng Biáng noodles from scratch in a private two-hour Zoom class. You will prepare the dough, pull the noodles, make a savory sauce, and learn about Chinese food and culture. Vegan cooking is available, and class times can suit European or US schedules.

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9.Online Cooking Class Steamed Buns by Chef Sunflower Li

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 2 hours

Chef Sunflower Li teaches you to make traditional Chinese steamed buns in a private Zoom class lasting 90 minutes to two hours. Prepare your own ingredients, shape the buns, learn dough science, and receive the family recipe afterward. Vegan and vegetarian options are available.

“This was an amazing class! Sunflower is a great instructor and I was able to have great results! I am looking forward to making these delicious buns again soon!”

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10.Beijing Jingshan Park Emperors Garden Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $5Best value

Use the QR code ticket to enter Jingshan Park, climb to Wanchun Pavilion, and see the Forbidden City from Beijing’s highest central viewpoint. Allow one to two hours for the gardens, pavilions, and imperial history. A passport is required at entry.

“Jingshan Park offers incredible views of the Forbidden city and it a great place to take a stroll around in it's own right, well worth getting tickets and visiting.”

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11.Private Garden Tour: The Summer Palace and Beijing Botanical Garden

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $160

Spend about eight hours with a private English-speaking guide and driver at Beijing’s Olympic Park, Summer Palace, and Botanical Garden. You’ll see the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, walk the Long Corridor, enjoy lunch, and visit China’s largest northern botanical garden. Bella is one named guide.

“This was a fantastic tour! Both Bella, the tour guide, and the driver were very professional. Bella spoke English very clearly and was very knowledgeable regarding the history of the Summer Palace. Just thinking of the Beijing Botanical Gardens bRead more”

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12.Private Customized Beijing Garden Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $188

You choose the Beijing gardens that suit your interests, from the Summer Palace and Beihai Park to Fragrant Hill, Biyun Temple, and the Botanical Garden. A private vehicle, lunch, two garden admissions, hotel pickup, and an English-speaking guide are included. Guide Lucy is praised for her lively stories and useful advice.

“We had a great time with Lucy. She had great stories about the Dragon Lady and her Summer Palace. We also ate at a wonderful restaurant for lunch and had a beautiful visit to the Beijing Botanical Garden. Highly recommended.”

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